1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a method of and device for securing a skin tube to a bendable tube portion that is formed at the distal end of the insert part of an endoscope, the bendable tube portion being bendable by remote control.
2. Description of the Prior Art
The bendable tube portion of an endoscope is generally bent with a small radius of curvature and therefore needs to be covered with a skin tube which is elastic and highly flexible.
According to a typical conventional skin tube securing method, a skin tube is fitted over the bendable tube portion of an endoscope, with an adhesive applied therebetween at two end portions of the skin tube, and then the two end portions of the skin tube are externally tied tight with a thread or the like so that no leakage of water will occur.
Since the insert part of a typical conventional endoscope has a circular cross-section, a skin tube can be readily and surely secured to the bendable tube portion by tying tightly with a thread or the like, as described above.
However, in the case of an endoscope wherein a groove is axially formed in the outer surface of the insert part for the purpose of detachably mounting, for example, a forceps channel tube, a skin tube cannot tightly be tied with a thread due to the presence of the groove and cannot therefore be secured in a watertight manner.